The Airbnb logo appears on a mobile phone screen next to a key in Athens, Greece, on February 24, 2026. (Photo by Nikos Pekiaridis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
If you love booking Airbnbs but dread the final morning of chores, relief is finally here.
Airbnb guests no longer have to clean up after themselves unless they want to. The company has officially announced new rules that change the expectations placed on guests when it's time to pack up and go.
No more heavy checkout chores
Dig deeper:
For years, a major pain point for travelers has been the extensive to-do lists left by some hosts. Under the new policy, Airbnb hosts can no longer require guests to perform heavy checkout chores.
Specifically, you are no longer required to do the following before checking out:
- Stripping beds
- Starting laundry
- Washing dishes
Friends horrified after finding and removing snake from Airbnb bed
A group of friends was staying at an Airbnb in the Punta Gorda area when they discovered a snake curled up under the covers.
What hosts can still ask for
The other side:
While you won't be running the washing machine on your way out the door, the new rules don't mean you can leave the rental in total disarray. Hosts are still allowed to request some basic tidying up.
According to the new guidelines, hosts can ask guests to:
- Leave used dishes in the sink
- Gather used towels
- Separate trash and recycling into designated indoor bins
When do the rules take effect?
What's next:
Travelers won't have to wait long to take advantage of these relaxed checkout expectations. The new rules apply to reservations booked on or after November 20.
For any trips booked on or after that date, you can expect a much easier, chore-free departure process.
The Source: Information from this article was sourced from Airbnb's house rules update.